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Colleges for the Jewish "B" student

I have been debating for a time about starting a thread such as this. On one hand, I want to make sure I have considered every college this should be on my son's list. On the other hand, every time this topic comes up there a lot of posters who criticize the need for such a thread. So, I make this request - if you are interested in this topic - have good ideas - please contribute. If you feel this type of thread is not necessary - then I guess there is no reason for you to post on it, right? (Said gently!)

So, for my "B" student - considering Elon, College of Charleston, James Madison and Muhlenberg. All have a reasonable number of Jewish students and an active Hillel.

Ithaca has been suggested - not sure that he wants to head that far north - but it is a maybe. Drew is another possibility - but it might be too small.

I also like things I have heard about Gettysburg and Susquehanna in general - but not as sure about the Jewish piece. These schools have Hillels, but their reported Jewish populations are under 100 students.

Considering Salisbury as our in-state super safety school - but have no data on number of Jewish students.

So, I'd love feedback from parents and students who are familiar with Jewish life and the Hillels at these schools. If I have overlooked some - please fill me in. We are trying to stay in the mid-Atlantic region and trying to aim for colleges larger than 2000 students and below 15,000. He might be a business/management/marketing major - but that is certainly not definite.

Replies to: Colleges for the Jewish "B" student

I would definitely add Clark and Goucher to your list. Both might seem a little smaller than what you've initially identified but they are both very special schools. Clark has the smaller Jewish population but has an active Hillel

Yes - FA will be a consideration for any of the pricier schools - such as Gettysburg. Right now, finishing up 10th grade with a 3.5 UW and about 3.9 W. Many honors classes - trying first AP next year. Hoping he will get 28-29 on the ACT. Active in BBYO - but not a lot of ECs - no hook or other extraordinary achievements. Just a nice average kid!

Check out Guilford College. although it's outside of your target area. Seems like a super school for B students, one of the "Colleges that Change Lives." My nephew (a Rabbi's son) goes there. Seems to have a pretty active Hillel and he feels very comfortable. Of course, I don't have any direct observation.

I know a number of Jewish students from Long Island at Towson. Could this be an in-state safety, also? Looked at their Fall 2009 and Spring 2010 calendar...seemed to be an event almost every week....and a Shabbat event at least once a month.

I think Towson is an interesting example of negative in-state bias - I have kind of a negative perception of it - but it is not really fact-based - you make a good point - if Salisbury is on the list - I should think about Towson as well.

1. 3.5uw/3.9w at the end of 10th grade, especially for a boy, isn't what this particular Jew would describe as a "B student". Of course, you know your kid and his school, and I don't.

2. More votes here for Pitt (especially its honors program), and Franklin & Marshall. Also, the other "hot" second-tier LAC in Southeastern Pennsylvania these days seems to be Ursinus. The Jewish kids I know there all seemed to be happy last I heard, although I know zip about Hillel there (and quite possibly neither did they). Ithaca, too. Rochester, absolutely, especially if he is a very academic sort of B student.

3. Heading south, I know that Jewish kids have gone from here to Elon, but I don't know how they liked it, and they were closer to 2.5 than 3.5 students. I would think about Tulane and Emory (the latter being something of a reach). I have fairly observant relatives who moved to South Carolina a few years ago. Their B-student youngest child applied to College of Charleston, but ultimately decided she would rather not go to college than go there -- I'm not sure why. (Rochester took her off the waiting list, so her resolve was never tested. She really liked Rochester.)

I second (third? fourth?) the suggestion of Clark. We were prepared not to like it given its location in Worcester MA, but D and I both loved it. D was amused by the "Hookah in the Sukkah" posters we saw on our October visit ;) Also, hands down the best food we ate on any college campus.

I guess I don't see Rochester, Tulane, or Emory as place where B students have much shot today. I think you are looking a tier lower at American and the like. Indiana seems to be hot for those who used to look at Wisconsin.

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